One of the laboratory technicians always makes sure to say "Mahlzeit" (which directly translates to "meal time") to kick off the start of each lunch we share! This is a great opportunity for us to catch up with one another and informally deal with any scheduling challenges or other administrative matters. For me, it is also the perfect time to practice my German, as we all speak in German when we are together. This sometimes means that I have no idea what is being said, but when that happens, I just have to ask for a translation and try to rejoin the conversation!
12:00 PM: Time for a meeting with my advisor to discuss some of the sediment cores we took during the boat trip on the Baltic Sea, back in September.
1:00 PM: Back to the laboratory! As you can see in the photograph, we have to wear a hairnet and lab coat... and what is not seen are special pairs of (essentially) crocs! They are super comfy, and also trace-metal safe.
3:00 PM: Time for more practice with the microscope to get the most out of every free moment. I have some measurement time coming up soon, and I want to make sure that I am well-prepared.
4:00 PM: I attend a lecture given by one of my labmates on circulation changes in the North Atlantic Ocean between 120,000 and 40,000 years ago.
6:00 PM: Now I rush off to the train station to take the overnight train down to München, where I am spending the weekend hiking in the Bavarian Alps with a professor of mine from college!
Which one of the things that I did today do you find the most exciting?!
